Day 31
East Timor
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. When he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. And then when he prayed again, the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. Father God, we pray that You would raise up some Christian leaders in East Timor who are like Elijah. Men and women of integrity and humility. People of prayer and fasting. People who know God’s heart because they seek Your heart and spend time with You. And when they speak and when they pray, we ask that many will listen and pay attention because what they hear is right and true and important to pay attention to. May their words and prayers stir up revival in this land (The Bible, James 5:17-18).
The country, also known as Timor-Leste, had a bloody 24-year resistance against Indonesian occupiers, gaining independence officially in 2002. In stark contrast to this turbulent past, East Timor peacefully transferred power to a younger generation of leaders in the 2017 presidential elections. However, the nation has failed to form a secure, strong government since the 2018 parliamentary elections. The membership of the governing coalition changed again in 2020. Half of the country, with a population of only 1.3 million people, still lives in extreme poverty. High levels of youth unemployment fuel gang violence. With around 95% of its population being Roman Catholic, it is one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia. Churches face no persecution.
Day 31
The Gambia
Lord, we pray that You will raise up people like Elijah of great faith in The Gambia. He was a human being who trusted in God. There was nothing special about him. He had no special power. He was a person just like the Christian believers in the country. Lord, we pray that the Churches will realize that anyone who is right with God can pray strong prayers. You answered him and there was no rain for three and a half years. With no rain, the crops did not grow. After that time, he prayed again. And, as a result, it rained. Now the rain had come, the crops could grow again. We pray that The Gambians will trust in You and become strong in faith that will change their circumstances (The Bible, James 5:18).
The Gambia is a West African country surrounded by Senegal. It’s the smallest country on the mainland of Africa with a population of just over 2 million, of which up to a tenth live abroad for work. Adama Barrow is the president of The Gambia. Despite the presence of the Gambia River, which runs through the middle of the country, only one-sixth of the land is arable. The Gambia is traditionally very tolerant of all religious creeds and beliefs and while the country is predominantly Muslim, with up to 90% of the population practicing the basic tenets of Islam, it is essentially a secular country and it prides itself on its broad-minded acceptance of all faiths. Christians, mostly Protestants, make up 5% of the population.
Day 31
Gaza Strip
Lord, we pray for Christian brothers and sisters in Gaza who wander from the truth. Help the Churches to take every effort to bring him or her back to You. It is possible for a person, who knows the truth about the Lord Jesus, to turn away from Him. This is not when a Christian does something wrong. Sadly, it is more than that. It is when a person wanders away from Jesus Christ and denies the truth. Lord we pray that Christian brothers and sisters will look after one another. So, when one of them wanders away, the rest should feel it deeply and desire to try to bring back to You any who have turned away. Lord, show them the significance, as souls will be saved from death (The Bible, James 5:19).
The Gaza Strip is a narrow strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea in the Middle East, bordered by Egypt to the southwest and Israel to the north and east. On 14 June 2021, Hamas announced that Issam al-Da’alis was the new prime minister of the Hamas government in Gaza. The Gaza Strip residents are severely constrained by political rights and civil liberties. Blockades of the territory and periodic military incursions by Israel have imposed serious hardship on the civilian population. The Islamist political and militant group Hamas gained control of Gaza following its victory in the legislative elections. Israel launched a month-long air campaign against sites in Gaza in early August 2021. Israeli authorities tightened restrictions on the flow of materials, including fuel and construction materials, into Gaza. The violence of extremism is rampant and has become a dangerous part of everyday life for Palestinian Christians.
Day 31
West Bank
Lord, we pray for West Bank constantly in conflict for a long time. Save those who are dying daily without knowing Your life-saving grace and salvation. We pray for lost souls all across the country who really need Your love and a new future. We pray that the Churches will take the gospel to all the people with love and care. Bring people to You with real trust and help them receive new life. Lord, draw even those who have deliberately turned away from You have heard the truth. Cause them to put their trust back in You. Then You will forgive that person of the many sins that he or she has done (The Bible, James 5:20).
Mahmoud Abbas is the president and Mohammad Shtayyeh is the Prime Minister of the West bank. The West Bank lies on the west bank of the Jordan River. Since 1967 most of the West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with mainland Israel. The West Bank also contains a significant coastline along the western bank of the Dead Sea. The Palestinian population of around ten or eleven million people is divided between historic Palestine and a diaspora, mainly in neighboring Arab countries. Efforts to create a Palestinian state on the West Bank of the River Jordan and Gaza on the Mediterranean coast have been frustrated by the continuing conflict with Israel and disputes over the status of diaspora Palestinians. Islamic oppression is the main source of persecution. Islamic extremist militants cause Christians to fear being attacked, and the persecution is particularly brutal for converts to Christianity.
